I'm hosting a gathering of the Clan Ranger tonight and thought the
following would be easy enough while helping those on "Lite"
diets.

Baked chicken breast in orange sauce and cinnamon
(Bone-in, skin on)

Roasted carrots, Yukons, garlic, and acorn squash

Green salad with balsamic vinegar

I've had a request for white rice (my personal albatross) as well
but am shying away from that.

Other ideas? Variations?

Many thanks!

The Ranger
==
Greeks like me have a basic flaw - we tend to build watches when
people only want the time.
-- Dimitri, ACC Aug. '05

The Ranger wrote:
> I'm hosting a gathering of the Clan Ranger tonight and thought the
> following would be easy enough while helping those on "Lite"
> diets.
>
> Baked chicken breast in orange sauce and cinnamon
> (Bone-in, skin on)
>

i'd suggest a teeny bit of cardamom or anise in there

> Roasted carrots, Yukons, garlic, and acorn squash

since the main course is sweet, I would keep the veg plain or
pungent/spicy/slightly bitter.

>
> Green salad with balsamic vinegar
>
> I've had a request for white rice (my personal albatross) as well
> but am shying away from that.
>

I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps tremedously
with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)

> Other ideas? Variations?
>
> Many thanks!
>
> The Ranger
> ==
> Greeks like me have a basic flaw - we tend to build watches when
> people only want the time.
> -- Dimitri, ACC Aug. '05


--

saerah

http://anisaerah.blogspot.com/

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a
disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
-Baruch Spinoza

"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly
what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There
is another theory which states that this has already happened."
-Douglas Adams

"sarah bennett" > wrote in message
news:Yvuyf.4820>

I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
> rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
> tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)

I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
electric rice cooker

O awaiting the shouts of dirision

Ophelia wrote:
> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> news:Yvuyf.4820>
>
> I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
> > rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
> > tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
>
> I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
> electric rice cooker
>
> O awaiting the shouts of dirision

Sound like a good idea to me. My Chinese friends have one which may be
a hint that it is a good idea.

Another way to tackle rice is the standard 2 to 2 water - rice ratio,
put it in covered dish and bake it.
John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Ophelia wrote:
>> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
>> news:Yvuyf.4820>
>>
>> I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
>> > rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
>> > tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
>>
>> I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
>> electric rice cooker
>>
>> O awaiting the shouts of dirision
>
> Sound like a good idea to me. My Chinese friends have one which may be
> a hint that it is a good idea.

)

wrote on 15 Jan 2006 in rec.food.cooking

>
> Ophelia wrote:
> > "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> > news:Yvuyf.4820>
> >
> > I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
> > > rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
> > > tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
> >
> > I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
> > electric rice cooker
> >
> > O awaiting the shouts of dirision
>
> Sound like a good idea to me. My Chinese friends have one which may be
> a hint that it is a good idea.
>
> Another way to tackle rice is the standard 2 to 2 water - rice ratio,
> put it in covered dish and bake it.
> John Kane, Kingston ON Canada
>
>

When serving large groups ....cooked white rice can be purchased cheap at
a chinese restaurant.

--
The eyes are the mirrors....
But the ears...Ah the ears.
The ears keep the hat up.

In article >,
says...
> wrote on 15 Jan 2006 in rec.food.cooking
>
> >
> > Ophelia wrote:
> > > "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> > > news:Yvuyf.4820>
> > >
> > > I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
> > > > rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
> > > > tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
> > >
> > > I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
> > > electric rice cooker
> > >
> > > O awaiting the shouts of dirision
> >
> > Sound like a good idea to me. My Chinese friends have one which may be
> > a hint that it is a good idea.
> >
> > Another way to tackle rice is the standard 2 to 2 water - rice ratio,
> > put it in covered dish and bake it.
> > John Kane, Kingston ON Canada
> >
> >
>
> When serving large groups ....cooked white rice can be purchased cheap at
> a chinese restaurant.
>
>

Why would you do that? I'd just fill up my pot with 8 cups of water and
4 cups of rice.

That'd get you a bit less than12 cups of rice when all was said and
done. The bit less is because some of the fluid is lost as steam.

In article .com>,
says...
>
> Ophelia wrote:
> > "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> > news:Yvuyf.4820>
> >
> > I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
> > > rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
> > > tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
> >
> > I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
> > electric rice cooker
> >
> > O awaiting the shouts of dirision
>
> Sound like a good idea to me. My Chinese friends have one which may be
> a hint that it is a good idea.
>
> Another way to tackle rice is the standard 2 to 2 water - rice ratio,
> put it in covered dish and bake it.
> John Kane, Kingston ON Canada
>
>

I've always cooked rice at a 2:1 ratio of water to rice. Comes out
perfectly every time after 15-20 minutes.

Ophelia wrote on 15 Jan 2006 in rec.food.cooking

>
> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> news:Yvuyf.4820>
>
> I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
> > rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
> > tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
>
> I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
> electric rice cooker
>
> O awaiting the shouts of dirision
>
>
>

I find my small auto rice maker quite a nice handy lttle unit.

--
The eyes are the mirrors....
But the ears...Ah the ears.
The ears keep the hat up.

"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote in message
...
> Ophelia wrote on 15 Jan 2006 in rec.food.cooking
>
>>
>> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
>> news:Yvuyf.4820>
>>
>> I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
>> > rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
>> > tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
>>
>> I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
>> electric rice cooker
>>
>> O awaiting the shouts of dirision
>>
>>
>>
>
> I find my small auto rice maker quite a nice handy lttle unit.

)

Ophelia wrote:
>
> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> news:Yvuyf.4820>
>
> I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
>> rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
>> tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
>
> I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
> electric rice cooker
>
> O awaiting the shouts of dirision
>
>

I make so much rice and could never make it on the stove top either. I got the
rice cooker, A National, and there hasn't been a problem since. It's one of
the appliances that never leaves the counter because I use it so often.

I'm having a sushi party later this month and that thing will be
indespensible.

--
..:Heather:.
www.velvet-c.com
Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!

"The Bubbo" > wrote in message
...
> Ophelia wrote:
>>
>> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
>> news:Yvuyf.4820>
>>
>> I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
>>> rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
>>> tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
>>
>> I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
>> electric rice cooker
>>
>> O awaiting the shouts of dirision
>>
>>
>
> I make so much rice and could never make it on the stove top either. I
> got the
> rice cooker, A National, and there hasn't been a problem since. It's
> one of
> the appliances that never leaves the counter because I use it so
> often.
>
> I'm having a sushi party later this month and that thing will be
> indespensible.

I am feeling much better about mine now)) I was sure I would be
derided)

Ophelia wrote:
>>
>> I make so much rice and could never make it on the stove top either. I
>> got the
>> rice cooker, A National, and there hasn't been a problem since. It's
>> one of
>> the appliances that never leaves the counter because I use it so
>> often.
>>
>> I'm having a sushi party later this month and that thing will be
>> indespensible.
>
> I am feeling much better about mine now)) I was sure I would be
> derided)
>
>

oh pffft. You're using a tool that allows you greater success than your other
options. Anyone who derides you probably also spends too much time in
alt.binaries.live.nude.davidhasselhoff to understand the real world!

I've had mine since 1997 and the only thing I've noticed is that over the
years I've had to slightly increase the water to rice ratio. Other than that,
the thing works like a charm


--
..:Heather:.
www.velvet-c.com
Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!

On Sun 15 Jan 2006 09:30:45a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Ophelia?

>
> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> news:Yvuyf.4820>
>
> I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
>> rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
>> tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
>
> I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
> electric rice cooker
>
> O awaiting the shouts of dirision

Lots of folks prefer using a rice cooker. Being the small appliance and
gadget junkie that I am, I would certainly own one, too, but we don't eat
enough rice to justify it.



--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
__________________________________________________ ________________
And if we enter a room full of manure, may we believe in the pony.


Remove all "xxx's" from address to e-mail directly.

"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun 15 Jan 2006 09:30:45a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it
> Ophelia?
>
>>
>> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
>> news:Yvuyf.4820>
>>
>> I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
>>> rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
>>> tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
>>
>> I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
>> electric rice cooker
>>
>> O awaiting the shouts of dirision
>
> Lots of folks prefer using a rice cooker. Being the small appliance
> and
> gadget junkie that I am, I would certainly own one, too, but we don't
> eat
> enough rice to justify it.

Well we eat very little but I can always justify a new small
appliance)

"Ophelia" > wrote in message
k...
>
> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> news:Yvuyf.4820>
>
> I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
>> rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps tremedously
>> with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
>
> I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an electric
> rice cooker
>
> O awaiting the shouts of dirision


No shouts here. I used to have one, becuase I used to be terrible at making
rice. SOmewhere along the way, I figured it out and gave the rice cooker
away.

Now, mashed potatoes are the bane of my culinary existence. Can't make
decent ones to save my life. If only they had a small appliance for that!
:-)

C

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006, Chris wrote:
>
> Now, mashed potatoes are the bane of my culinary existence. Can't make
> decent ones to save my life. If only they had a small appliance for that!
> :-)
>
> C
>

There are a couple of tricks to mashed potatoes (stirred with a tool
called a
potato masher, leaving hunks of potatoes in the mix) and creamed potatoes
("whipped potatoes" to the Yankees <VBG> and beaten with a mixer until
smooth and fluffy).

Use red-skinned ("boiling") potatoes only (no white, baking potatoes, no
yukon golds, etc).

Peel them, cut them in chunks (a small potato about the size of a golf
ball should be halved. cut larger potatoes so that the finished chunks
are about the size of these halves. Size here is very important. Too small
and you have potato soup; too large and you have potato salad makings.
Once you get used to making them, the larger size hunks won't be much of a
problem. It's only a problem until you get the feel for the cooking time)

Put the potato chunks in a pot with enough room to totally cover the
potatoes and then some (It's like cooking macaroni, pasta, or dry beans.
The potatoes don't "swell" but you've got to have a good bit of water.
Like with macaroni and other pastas, you'll be pouring the excess water
and starch down the drain.)

Put the potatoes in a cold pot and cover with cold water. Turn your burner
on "HI" heat and bring the pot to a boil. Turn down heat to a gently
rolling boil (about Med Hi). Boil uncovered. [here's why plenty of water.
You don't want to have to add more water, but if you do, add HOT water,
kick the heat back up to HI in order to bring to a boil in a hurry and
then turn heat back down. (the deal here is that you don't want your
potatoes to "soak" and soak up a lot of excess water).

Cooking them perfectly "done" is a major trick. This will just take some
practice. This is why all the chunks should be as close as possible to the
same size (so they will all be "done" at the same time).

"perfectly done" will be the consistency of a perfect baked potato.
{sorry}

It takes about 20 minutes to cook potatoes (in the perfect "chunk" size),
but that will give you a guideline.

When a chunk can be speared with a fork, lifted out of the pot, placed on
a hard surface (like a plate), and gentle pressure of the tines of the
fork against the chunk will cause it to mash into a fluffy,
baked-potato-like consistency, it is done.

Not-quite-done: the chunk won't lift out of the pot without breaking (or
it feels like you are spearing an apple)

Too-done: the chunk dissolves when speared or it comes out of the pot only
to collapse in a starchy pile when mashed.

If you "cream" (which is what we do here in the South) the "too done", you
will have something akin to wall paper paste.

If youcream the "not-quite-done", you will have something akin to chunky
peanut butter.

On both accounts, boo,hiss.

Until you get the hang of it, you might want to drain in a colander.
Remove as much water as possible.

Work quickly. Potatoes cool off rapidly (again with the boo, hiss).
Creaming takes only a couple of minutes, so everything else on the menu
should be headed to the table.

Toss potatoes in a mixing bowl, add a big hunk of butter and a few
tablespoons of milk, S&P to taste, mix on low until the potatoes are
crushed. Turn mixer up. They should fluff - much like egg whites or
whipping cream. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl. If they are a little
dry, add a touch more milk (or cream or half and half). If they are too
wet, you are screwed.

While the bowl is turning, stick a teaspoon into the potatoes. They should
mound in the spoon in a fluffy pile. Stick spoon in mouth. They should
taste fluffy and buttery. You should automatically say, "ooooh"

Share with others or keep all for yourself. <g>

Just a little practice will have you turning out super creamed potatoes in
no time.

Good luck

Elaine, too

One time on Usenet, "Ophelia" > said:
> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> news:Yvuyf.4820>

> > I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
> > rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
> > tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)

> I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
> electric rice cooker
>
> O awaiting the shouts of dirision

Not from me, I have one too. As for dinner tonight, we're going out.
It's my birthday today...


--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 20:52:58 GMT,
(S'mee) wrote:

>Not from me, I have one too. As for dinner tonight, we're going out.
>It's my birthday today...

Happy birthday, Jani!

serene

One time on Usenet, serene > said:
> On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 20:52:58 GMT,
> (S'mee) wrote:
>
> >Not from me, I have one too. As for dinner tonight, we're going out.
> >It's my birthday today...
>
> Happy birthday, Jani!

Thank you, Serene! It was a very nice day... :-)


--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~

> One time on Usenet, "Ophelia" > said:
> > "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> > news:Yvuyf.4820>
>
> > > I find that cooking the rice as if it were a pilaf (i.e. cooking the
> > > rice and oil together and then adding hot water/stock) helps
> > > tremedously with cooking white rice (esp. aromatic ones)
>
> > I am rubbish at cooking rice so much so that I bought myself an
> > electric rice cooker
> >
> > O awaiting the shouts of dirision
>
>

tee hee hee. Not from me. I say, "whatever makes your life easier".

I don't have a rice cooker. We don't eat enough rice for me to store
another appliance under the counter <g>.

'Round here (Southern US), we do eat white rice (with lots of butter and
sugar [and NO, I don't want to hear it <g>]) for breakfast as a hot cereal
with a side of pan toast. But we don't use the degree of dryness that rice
cookers produce.

And it's popular with chicken, but potatoes are usually a first choice
(the "old folks" grew potatoes, but rice had to be purchased).

We cook it in a pot on the stove, like one would cook macaroni or other
pasta or dry beans, etc. If there is excess water, we drain it off. If the
water content is such that the rice starch thickens the mix (which is the
way we use it as cereal), we just dish it up. If we want it to be indy
grains and fluffy, we toss it in a colander and rinse the starch off with
hot water.

I just put the rice in a cold pot and cover with cold water (enough to
cover the puffed up rice and then some). I bring the pot to a rapid boil
and then turn down the heat to a gentle boil. I cook it about 20 minutes.

If I want to put a top on the pot to contain the amount of evaporation, I
use less water. Stir frequently.

If I am not going to use a top, I generally add a little more water for
the evaporation. Stir frequently.

I no longer do the "place on pot lid, don't open until done, steam it in a
little water" because that burns a coat of rice on the bottom of my pan
and I can get the same results rinsing the rice. Just don't over cook or
like macaroni and other pasta and potatoes and dry beans, it gets soggy
and mushy.

Elaine, too